


Town and Country

by AwatereJones



Series: Crawlers [9]
Category: Torchwood
Genre: Alt Verse, Drama, Family, Gen, Horror, Zombie Apocalypse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-02
Updated: 2018-07-07
Packaged: 2019-06-01 11:10:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 6,125
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15141767
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AwatereJones/pseuds/AwatereJones
Summary: time for a recon ... lets hope they get what they want





	1. Chapter 1

Gwen watched Ianto kneel to hug Mica and whisper to her, her little face looking up at her as it became evident he was telling her to be good for Aunty Gwen. For some reason it made her feel warm inside that he was trusting her, she knew she had been fucking up and this was a chance to show she was not totally insane.

Ianto rose and looked at her, his smile warm as he reached out and touched her arm before heading for the SUV and Crypto padded after him with a glace back over his shoulder.

"I will not let her out of my sight" Gwen called after them, pulling Mica into her arms to show she meant it and as the SUV rumbled out of sight she turned to Tosh, "Why do you think he took the SUV and they took the truck?"

"Tray on the back love" Rhys answered for her "they can empty out the cars and chuck stuff in the back as they go along the motorway where as Ianto and Jack will be heading into the town and will need the protection. Chances are …. That's where the danger is, why Jack is going with him and letting Suzie be in charge of the other run."

"If there are RVs in the parking lot where we hope they are then Jack can radio Owen to shoot into town and he and Andy can drive one each, also Ianto can drive one leaving Jack to drive the SUV and Suzie the truck. Hopefully this will get us three RVs, more than we need now but enough to make sure we have plenty of room." Tosh explained, "Jack knows Owen worries about children or pets stuck in vehicles, wants to check. Also there is bound to be some good prep gear in some of them. This will make him happy."

"Well, if they do get some they need to park them" Gwen said as she looked around, "Come on Mimi, you can help me. We can mow this area over here where one will sit for a start. Maybe we can then look for another area?"

Mica nodded and ran over to start looking for things to move out of the way as Gwen walked over to the ride on mower Rhys had already got out for this exact job.

"Sweetie, how about you and Mica move those pots of colour over there? We can then mow that area and if we park one there the pots can go around the steps." Rhys said and Mica gleefully ran to do it as Gwen puffed with pride. She could do this! See? She could be a mama.

"When you women have finished that you can come help me do the gingerbread men" Rhys called once he had finished mowing and Mica squealed as she clapped her hands, Gwen now sure things were going to be OK.

She looked in the direction the vehicles had gone and hoped like hell they were going to be OK. She was really starting to like Ianto.

.

.

.

.

.

Jack was humming softly as he drove, Ianto checking his internal lists while looking out the window and Crypto closed his eyes as he let the wind ruffle his fur.

"Food" Ianto said softly, "I hope we get food. I want that barn full of food. Maybe hidden in the bales."

"Hidden" Jack glanced at him, "You thinking we might be overrun? Or covertly checked out?"

"I am a worst case scenario kinda guy, you haven't worked that out by now?" Ianto asked happily, "Alter all, I was sure you were going to let me go and not follow me."

"Now you know better" Jack smiled as he reached out to touch Ianto's knee then grunt as he slowed to go around a vehicle. They all leaned to look in and were relieved to see it was empty.

"Creepy" Ianto said after another few minutes, "like… a sci-fi movie where they all disappeared. Owen and Rhys are right. This is like End of Days only with a hotter leader than we thought we would have, us lucky heathens."

Jack snorted as he glanced in the mirror to see Crypto laughing as well, the light mood welcome as they neared the town then slowed right down.

"What do you suggest?" Jack let Ianto decide, "Toot to say hi or sneak?"

"Sneak. When in doubt always sneak" Ianto nodded firmly and Jack greed as he drove quietly along the back street towards the area where they hoped the RVs were. Once they knew for sure, they could move on to the stores while the others came their way stripping cars as they went.

It all seemed too easy and Jack glanced at Ianto again to see him frown deeply furrowing his brow and knew he was waiting for the big wreaking ball to come out of nowhere.

A worst case scenario kinda guy.

Jack hoped Ianto would be pleasantly surprised.

They all needed some good luck.


	2. moving with speed

Owen was walking the road between vehicles as Suzie drove the truck, both of them following Andy who had point. He was proving to be a clear headed point man with his pistol held in a shooter's stance as he walked confidently, then paused to listen and sweep, then move on.

They had encountered two Crawlers so far and their nerves were still jangling from the last one who had seized Owen's foot from under a vehicle, now those on foot keeping a wider berth around those vehicles they could see into clearly.

"Hot!" Andy called and Owen quickened his pace to approach then squat to peer underneath. Then he nodded and Andy tapped the window, jumping back then snorting as he turned to Owen with a grin, "One of those live-sized sex doll things."

They laughed as they opened the door and peered in, Suzie now standing in front of the truck as she scanned the area and let the boys play. Grab bags and tinned food were moved to the truck and Owen straightened from looking in the glove box to look over at Andy, "They should be there right?"

Andy nodded.

.

.

.

.

"Clear" Jack called, watching Crypto amble over to pee and Ianto slid from the SUV to approach the RVs.

"I really didn't need you to sweep for me, I am capable of that meself" he muttered with annoyance.

"I know, but I promised Mica" Jack replied without annoyance, knowing Ianto was just nervous. "This one?"

They opened it and went inside, glancing about and seeing it was in good shape like the others Ianto wanted and they went back out as Jack radioed Tosh to say they were green. Then they made sure the SUV was hidden behind one of the large RVs and then walked on foot through side streets into the centre of town, Ianto knowing the way as he pointed out stores he wanted to ransack.

They stuck to the shadows, kept low and moved fast with Crypto on point.

Finally they got to the Doctor's Office and the Chemist next door. Ianto stood looking at them, then turned to Jack, "Maybe you should check the doctor's office and snatch what you can find. You can read his writing better than me for the instruments and tech he wants. I will take the chemist with Crypto"

"OK" Jack didn't want to split up but knew it was time sensitive as he glanced down at Crypto, the large head swinging to scan and he knew Ianto would be well watched over.

_He is a grown man, another agent for the love of gods. Calm down. He's OK._

"I will scream and shoot if I encounter anything." Jack said with a stern look, hoping to lighten the mood.

Ianto smiled, his face lighting up at the attempt at hour and to Jack's delight Ianto stepped in and kissed him with pure affection, "Ya Twypsn."

Then he was walking away and Jack took a deep breath as his heart restarted and he turned for the doctor's office, another glance to see the door of the chemists open and Crypto threaded through Ianto's legs to enter first.

He stood with his hand on the handle of the door for so long he knew he must look like a statue but no noise or crashing made him finally open his own door and go in. Ianto was right, Owen's writing was appalling but in time Ianto would probably know it better than he did. This had been so Jack could sweep the area they both knew was most likely to have a Crawler or two trapped, triage gone wrong and he was touched that Ianto had recognised his desire to have this task. He reached up and tapped his coms "Clear. Snatching now."

"Same" came the single grunted reply and Jack accepted it, no need to announce if there was someone close by. Jack worked quickly, filling bags and crates that he emptied of paperwork and then filled with drugs and equipment. He placed things by the front door, also agreeing with Ianto's request nothing be placed outside until they were ready to move, the fear of someone in another store seeing the large calling card of visitors a silly idea. More and more Jack was seeing the cleverness in this one, the calculations so fast he could not keep up. Gods, the Academy would have loved him.

Finally he sat back and touched his coms, "Done."

"Nope" the pop of the p was loud and Jack snorted with amusement, looking over his stuff and then moving out the door, scanning the street as he slid to the other door and into the chemists where Crypto met him.

He was huge.

"Hey buddy, Just me" Jack said softly as he let the creature slam him against shelving and check him over then shrink back with apology, "Hey, no. Good job. Always protect him like that, I do not mind aggression if it's in his name. OK?"

"Over here" Ianto called in the back of the store, "Baby stuff. Also kiddie drugs."

Jack rushed to help fill containers and he found Ianto had done the same thing, relieving the office of drawers and storage containers, no doubt files everywhere back there. He wondered if it had simply been coincidence or had he somehow gleaned that Jack was doing it?

Somehow, the last option was preferred.

That they were so in sync they might move together.

Gods.

He was invested.


	3. Click click bang

The sound of a double click on the coms was the first warning that there was a problem, Owen's team supposed to have reached the RVs. Leaving their goodies, the men raced along the buildings to the meeting spot and found the RVs still there along with the truck.

No Andy.

Ianto immediately dropped to his hands and knees to peer under and saw Andy under the black RV that had been tagged, his head canted looking out the back of the vehicle and Ianto followed the gaze to see another vehicle approaching as Owen stood waiting defiantly with the shotgun on his hip.

"What do you see? I see incoming" Jack said softly as he reached out to place his hand on Ianto's shoulder.

"Andy is under the black one, they can only see Owen I think?"

"Yeah, Suzie is lying down in the cab of the truck so they can't see her. They will only be able to see him" Jack confirmed as Crypto brushed past his leg moving towards the RVs where he slid underneath by Andy.

A good man.

The jeep skidded to a halt and the men got out, their own weapons on display, "Whatcha got there little man?"

"A big fucking gun little boy!" Owen snarked back with more confidence than he felt, sneering at them, "Hows about you fuck off and we pretend we never met today?"

Some laughter as the three men looked at one another, then one called out "Or you can fuck off as fast as your shortarsed legs can go and leave all this behind and we pretend we don't want to put you down for taking from our larder!"

"Damn" Jack sighed as he saw there would be no resolution here, these men not only sure of their standing but prepared. Had probably done this a few times already and in the two weeks since the shit hit the fan they had fast worked out their best roles.

To be arseholes.

Ianto was gone, Jack noticing as his hand met air and he looked with horror as Ianto confidently walked towards the RV Andy was under, the men not seeming to… now Jack was really watching. Crypto was not with him, Jack could see him clear as day so why were the men not even blinking as Ianto crossed through their corner of sight?

Jack crouched and saw Crypto under the RV with his eyes glowing and knew that his suspicions were right. Crypto had bonded with Ianto and was somehow shielding him from sight. Although not invisible, anyone looking at him would forget or need to glace away before it registered. Like a big furry Tardis key? A Perception Filter? Tricky things these creatures and Jack was still trying to remember all the warnings about them, especially when it came to bonding.

Ianto had reached the RV and he took a deep breath as he walked around it to flank the men who were still laughing at Owen.

"Come on little fella, you really think you can take us?" one called to Owen, "You and whose army?"

Andy had slid out to stand with Ianto, Crypto as well and it was Ianto who replied.

"Mine fucktard."

The men swung, one already firing in Owen's general direction but Owen was no fool and had ducked to the ground as soon as Ianto hand signalled it, Jack running along the front of the RV so the men were surrounded and Ianto didn't blink, didn't flinch and definitely didn't register the bullets flying as he emptied his gun.

Jack watched the creature stalk over to inspect the bodies with his lip curling back to show disgust.

"Was that a good idea?" Owen asked nervously, "What if they aren't alone?"

"They aren't" Ianto replied calmly, "There is a walkie-talkie in their vehicle. This is part of a larger crew. We couldn't let them live, they would have reported back then hunted us down for what we had."

"And leaving them like this will not raise some suspicion?" Owen asked Jack who was poking one with his foot.

"Crypto?" Jack said softly, "Would you mind? Crawler style?"

Crypto understands and began to maul the bodies so they would look like they had been attacked and then Jack started to walk away calling back "Don't touch their stuff. Might have radioed what they had already. They will be found like that and Crawlers will be blamed. A few dead ones to set the scene when they are close enough"

"Like those approaching. Daylight walkers, killed recenty then" Ianto said as he looked down the street, "We have maybe twenty minutes, we need to go. Leave that RV, I did want it but the bullet holes are consistent with an ambush from those things. Also, it's huge, would be missed. We take the purple one around the side instead. Similar size but one of three like it. The only black one has to stay."

"Easier to find by air anyway" Owen said as he helped Suzie unload some of their things from the truck into a white one so they could snatch some more stuff in a hurry "Purple has a white roof. Will blend with the dirt better from high altitude if anyone is smart enough to think of that."

"Not everyone is as smart as you Owen" Ianto smiled softly, "Good thinking. Yes. The black would never have fitted. Thanks."

Owen patted Ianto's shoulder affectionately as he clambered up into the purple one and looked around, then out the window to see Andy in a white one at the wheel already.

"Damn" he muttered, "Suzie drives the truck and Jack the SUV, three RVs can come with us."

"Four" Ianto said as he went to leave, "Crypto can drive too."

Owen laughed at Ianto's joke, the image of the dog behind a wheel breaking the tension as they prepared to drive to the chemist and Drs so they could load the stuff waiting for them already packed and get out of Dodge.

Ianto was a funny bastard sometimes.


	4. Big, Black and Beautiful

Andy and Owen swung their RVs to the area Jack had indicated, Suzie following in the truck and as they began to load the boxes into the RVs Owen looked around, "Where's Ianto?"

"Clothing store over there" Jack pointed distractedly as he reached for another crate "Move!"

Owen looked over and saw the grey RV Ianto had chosen and beside it was a white one.

Owen blinked with confusion.

"Owen!" Jack barked, "No time for this, move. Get everything not nailed down, we can't come back for a while. We need to take all we can before those Crawlers discover there were more than those bodies here."

Owen shook himself from his stupor and began to help, then raced across to fire up the RV and drive to the other two, clambering out to find a huge black man walking out towards him. Like … Idris Alba crossed with The Rock crossed with… a fucking rhino!

SHIT

"Here" he snarled, shoving an arm full of dresses at Owen, "Load these."

Owen blinked.

"Crypto?"

The man glanced back, his inhuman eyes blinking, "No time for this. Move."

Owen swung and threw the dresses on the passenger seat of the RV, then ran into the clothing store to find Ianto was now pushing entire racks of clothing towards them and he seized the end of one, "Crypto, these will fit in the back, lift the whole thing instead of fighting the hangers."

The other two arrived and although Suzie kept glancing at Crypto she accepted the transformation with something akin to horror, the man almost a giant. Should have been a WWE wrestler or something as the huge arms swung around a mannequin to lift it, "Dolly."

Ianto glanced over, then blinked, "OK. Why not. Whatever, as long as you like it."

"Blonde."

"Whatever Cryp" Ianto muttered as he pulled at shoe boxes then swung to face everyone, "They're coming. I can hear vehicles to the north."

"Move out" Jack yelled as he grabbed some baskets of hair accessories off the counter and they fled, Andy exploding from the grocery store with a trolley packed and he and Suzie lifted it into the RV he had been driving and then they took off, Ianto watching in the rear-view mirror as dust rose to show vehicles entering town and they pulled into a copse of trees to watch in case they were followed.

"I will wait here" Jack said in the coms, "you all keep moving. If they see the dust and come this way I will put them down, I have mines and enough grenades for world war three. If you don't see explosions then know I am just observing for a while, then I will follow once I know they are not coming this way. Put as much space between us as you can, OK?"

Ianto was torn, wanting to stay as was Crypto but they knew Jack was being smart here. Ianto also knew Jack's secret. One way or another he would come back to them. Ianto had an internal conversation with Crypto who agreed they didn't have time to argue and really needed to get to the little one.

"We will stop in behind the billboard on the outskirts" Ianto said after considering, "Suzie will take point and continue with Andy to the house, me and Cryp will wait for you there… In case you fall and they get past you."

Suzie balked and went to argue but crypto was quicker "No time to piss in the wind girlie!"

She blinked then nodded and they moved off as Jack started to lay some landmines, memorising where they were so they didn't find them themselves at a later date. This was a good idea, one he was happy with as he walked a distance from the trees and planted more. They had three ways into town, this the most direct in and out. They would never take this way again.

Now… no one else would either.

Ianto was right, they couldn't afford anyone else, they had to be cruel. Friend or foe, whoever tripped these would not only give warning loud enough to let them know there were others approaching but it would also attract the Crawlers who seemed to key off sound.

A small voice whispered that innocents escaping with children might be caught then the other voice, the strong Welsh one whispered that it was silly to hope that much. Anyone with children would not risk the middle of the town unless they were stupid enough to trust others. If this were the case…. They would already be dead anyway. Crypto agreed reluctantly that these people probably had the place locked down and anyone in or out with a chance would be on foot. Only the fact they were inside the township's outer area that they had been locked inside the roadblocks, they needed to check that out later.

Jack smiled as he sent warm affection down the growing bond and felt Crypto's amusement as he returned it.

_We could always dig them up later anyway._

Yeah right?

_Move Cariad._

"Yes Tiger." Jack whispered with a soft smile.

So bossy.


	5. interesting

Jack watched for a while through the binoculars and saw the men walking around the bodies of their fallen comrades, then they looked around and swore a bit. Some Crawlers were shot and as he had hoped, not a single store was checked. Fresh Crawlers, now he had time to think he also found new concern as a fresh Crawler is a newly dead one. Where had these people come from? Why had they only just turned? He had a bad feeling about it and placed it asode, no time for it now.

They had bought it.

Jack let out his breath as the vehicles sped off, no doubt to tell the others in their group there had been a Crawler attack and he considered as Ianto queried softly through the bond.

"They've left. The town is vacant again, Crawlers put down. I have a hankering to go back in for one last check" Jack muttered softly like Ianto was standing next to him, it damn well felt like it.

The reply was warmth. Affection. Trust.

"OK, give me about half an hour to check for anything we need, then I will be travelling. Do I remove those mines?" he whispered.

_No._

"OK, are we agreed? Innocents would have been scooped up by those arseholes anyway, they have this place pretty locked down" Jack sighed as the positive replies came from the other two and he started to run low to the ground, entering store after store to see what might be good to pinch. He found more than he thought, also showing how stupid these people were to have such a good larder and not optimise it. Camping gear, survival gear and even some guns were found, Jack shaking his head as he moved back to his vehicle and then sped towards the billboard and those waiting patiently.

Ianto seemed to be asleep as he approached but then he saw the gun was cocked.

"Hey he called as he clambered from the SUV "I found a sweet shop!"

Ianto rose with shock "Bullshit! Crypto, we missed sweeties?"

Jack laughed as he opened the back door of the SUV to show boxes of sweets and chocolates in amongst the other things and Ianto sighed happily.

"I was careful, I only took some from here and there so do it still looked like full displays. These people were stupid but not that stupid. This store would have been found and regularly taken from. I was careful love, promise. They would never notice I had been there." Jack promised as Ianto nodded to show he trusted his skills as a thief.

"Tents?"

"Yeah" Jack grinned, "Four man tents and even an eight man one. Can you fucking imagine? These idiots didn't even look in the camping store. Look, camp stoves, gas canisters, lots of goodies. Again, I didn't strip things, just took like every second or third so it still looked full."

"Yeah, we have to be careful. What we took will not be missed, apart from the chemist and they might blame one another for that." Ianto nodded, "We have to expect towns will be owned like this and take accordingly."

"Kiss?"

Ianto obliged as Crypto leaned out the window for his RV, "We rolling?"

"Crypto, you are a handsome man!" Jack winked at the huge beast, "Damn if you don't scare the crap out of me each time I look at you. Damn, you are pretty."

The large man blinked, then laughed as he waved a hand at him, "Go fuck yourself Captain. Come on. They will return before us and Mica will be upset."

"Shit" Jack turned to the SUV, "You're tight. We can step on it, Suzie will be making them go slow to keep any road dust down and hide. We don't need to, I know the men went in the other direction so we aren't followed. Hopefully we can catch up."

Soon they were zooming along like large missiles, Ianto laughing openly as Crypto showed himself to be a good pilot who took corners like a stunt man. As did Ianto.

Jack following in the back of the small convoy bit his tongue a few times as he watched Ianto loose the road and chew up verge before regaining control. The laughter in the bond telling him he was well aware of the fright he was giving him.

They did catch them three corners from home and they all stopped, Owen flying out to scold them for driving like that as he had been watching in the mirrors as they had practically flown over the last rise. The RVs crunching down in a way they were not built to.

Andy simply ran to hug Ianto, then Crypto with laugh as he gushed that he was scared and wanted a good hot bath now.

"Me too" Crypto growled softly, "Come one Blondie, let's go home."

Andy blinked as he looked at the creature, "Cheeky."

"He is" Ianto laughed, "Careful. In human form he is also capable of stealing more food from your plate."

"Horrible" Crypto agreed as he flexed his huge muscles, "These bodies are so hard to manoeuvre. Four legs are so much better for speed."

"Yeah, but not for these" Andy laughed as he hugged him again and Ianto watched Crypto's look of surprise as he accepted the affection.

Well.

That's interesting.

* * *

 


	6. home

They returned home, surprised to find some areas already cleared for the RVs and Ianto turned to thank Tosh only to have her nod at Gwen.

"Gwen? You did this prep?" Ianto asked and she nodded as he said she wanted to help. He hugged her as he praised her for thinking ahead and she felt it like warm water. She started to feel like she was on the right track, hoped she was.

Then the final RV pulled in and the he black man clambered out, everything going quiet as they looked at him, then Mica pushed past Gwen "Crypto. What did you get me?"

The large man laughed and motioned for her to follow him and Gwen blinked, then turned to Ianto, "Crypto?"

"His least liked form. Yes" Ianto laughed softly, "That is Crypto in Humanoid form. The dog is a construct he chose, like most of his images he projects. He doesn't like humans, upright and clumsy he calls us."

"Shit" Rhys grunted softly, "Big fella."

"Now you know why he eats so much" Ianto agreed, "To transform like that costs energy too. As a large dog he uses less power."

"Well, bugger me" Rhys snorted, "Roast for tea. Looks like no leftovers then."

"Ahhhh, you and your roasts. You are a good man Rhys" Ianto smiled, "In the back of the SUV you will find Jack raided a grocery store, along with a sweet shop but let's not get too excited with that as she will need to be watched for sugar rushes. I think he said there was a deep fat fryer we swiped from a back counter."

"Bullshit!" Rhys blurted then took off with glee.

"Deep fryer?" Gwen giggled softly, "Oh gods, he does the most amazing donuts in a deep fryer. They were his 'morning after' feed for me when we were at uni."

"He's a good man" Ianto observed, "You caught a good one there missus. Don't forget to tell him so, he feels a bit redundant as the only civilian here. I think why he cooks so much, only thing he thinks he can do to provide. Let him know his companionship has worth too."

"Thank you" she smiled as she looked at her fellow Welshman, "He is wonderful."

"And the sleek looking RV I just drove back has a shower unit in it as well as a working kitchen. Damned thing even has a top story, look"

She turned to look at the RV and saw the top was indeed another level with sides to it "What?"

"For sunbathing I think. Like … a roof garden. You climb up the ladder on the back and there is the full size of the RV. Perfect for a BBQ area, or a place to go hide if you want to read a book and ignore the world."

"Oh wow!" she said softly.

"Rhys looks like a handy guy, he might be able to build stairs so you don't have to use the ladder, They could attach to the back so they can be raised if we move it? Something to occupy him other than just cooking?" Ianto suggested and she hugged him excitedly, then rushed to show him.

"You wanted that one" Jack said softly, "The top level for Mica as a play area if we become mobile."

"Will still be" Ianto shrugged, "Gwen will welcome her there to play with the new one. I see that."

Ianto turned to face Jack and smiled as he pulled him closer, "Anyway. Apparently the one Crypto drove has the hugest bed in the back of it he has ever seen. Like… massive. Probably because it is fatter than the others, wide load indeed. Two bunk beds in the main area as well as bathroom and such."

"Oh!" Jack grinned, "Really?"

"Yeah" Ianto leaned in to whisper in his ear "Massive!"

"And where will he sleep?" Jack giggled.

"Well, let's go see. I think Mica could have the bottom bunk, we could take the mattress off the top bunk and turn that into a storage area for canned food and such, if we have to bug out we will have supplies. Also, the roof. I want those metal cases from the barn on the roof, we can fill those and have them ready for a bug out, they are water tight as well as old and decrepit enough that from the air they will look abandoned."

"You are thinking" Jack nodded as he saw the way Ianto's mind was working, making the RV look like an abandoned vehicle as others looked out there on the roads.

"We have to think ahead. I want to stay here forever but if we have to bug out we will be ready for that too" Ianto turned to face him and seized his face in his hands kissing him hard. "You. I need you. OK?"

"Yes Tiger, I'm right here" Jack whispered as he slid his arms around him, "Together we will get through this. Keep Mimi safe and endure."

Crypto watched and nodded as he slid into the RV to transform back to a more acceptable shape.

It felt good to be part of a crew again.


	7. Ianto thinks ahead...as always

Rhys was already measuring it, checking the back of the RV for the stairs, then he looked around and approached Ianto who was still unloading and sorting, "Hey mate. Um … question."

"Yeah?"

"Those old stairs to the top level of the barn. They're metal and …ah… there is a ladder we can use too so do we need both in there …."

Ianto stopped unloading and looked at him, then the RV, "Right. Suzie can weld. The welder can use a good looking over, check it before we start transforming the RVs to road trains. Yes, good idea. Ask her, she's the engineer amongst us."

"Really?" Rhys asked with surprise then turned to watch the wild haired woman throw a box at Owen who yelled at her and laughed.

Soon the two of them were staring at the RV as they considered making the stairs hinged to swing out for climbing and in for moving the vehicle. Suzie was excited at the thought of a project the same as Rhys and it was a little while later that she found Jack and Ianto looking through boxes in the main room "Bugging out?"

Ianto looked up, "Just nervous. I like a back-up plan within a back-up plan. Plan A is never going to be good enough, no matter what it is."

"Why there are those tents even with the RVs?"

"Could run out of gas… road…. Anything. Back-up plans are good" Ianto nodded as he went back to rummaging through a box and she turned her attention to Jack,

"So. I want one."

Jakc grinned, "Of course you do. We talked about it already. Gwen and Rhys have the one Ianto drove, We have Crypto's. That leaves the one Andy drove as Owen is already changing his to a medical one."

"He would share?" she frowned.

"already thinks he is going to, talked about the fact it has two single beds and if a partition needs to be put in for your privacy" Ianto said from in the box he was partially buried in.

She blinked.

"Not everyone hates you, stop thinking that way" Ianto sat back with a toy in his hands and grinned at it, "Tosh will love this. Look Suzie, he likes you. Not romantically but as a mate. He sees you as someone he can laugh with, play cards with and have shooting practice with. Andy is a good man, capable of being a platonic friend. Who knows, he might get over his fear of you. He is the one talking like it's a done deal, you sharing. Go look. Maybe you can cut the top off and raise it to have a second bed area and storage or something? Enough sheet metal to do that in the barn isn't there?"

Suzie's eyes widened as she swing to look out at Andy's RV, "An arsenal. We could put an arsenal up there under my bed. Then he has his own room. Yeah, shit."

Ianto stopped rummaging around and looked at Jack, "Did you hear that? She wants to sleep on weapons."

"See?" he replied, "I told you she was like us."

Both men grinned as their own bed had enough ammo and weapons under it to start a war.

"Well, let's do it. We have time, equipment and manpower to do it. We fit these things out and then hope they never move from their spots." Ianto nodded as he looked into the box again and Jack saw it, the flicker across his face as he lied.

Ianto knew.

He knew as well as Jack did that sooner or later those RVs would fire up and move, those in the town too close not to eventually come this way foraging.

They would be ready, everyone able to move without panicking once Ianto's drills were in place.

They could be a cohesive team.

Jack found himself once again moving to Ianto's unspoken orders and found it comforting to know this man had the mind of a general.

In the weeks and years to come a military mind like that would be needed.

If the children had a chance.

,

,

,

,

So ends this segment, next will be the fitting out of the RVs as Ianto starts to softly get people used to the idea of bugging out. We know they will have to now.


End file.
